Before the Meal Course

• the Italian antipasto course is served before the meal.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The first course is typically an aperitif and or appetizer. The French call their version of the tiny appetizer an les amuse-bouches. This term means that the food should be small enough to be eaten in a single bit. Appetizers range from canapes, verrines and sweets to the antipasto selections for an Italian oriented meal. Some gatherings, like weddings, provide hors d'oeuvres along with drinks in a cocktail hour prior to the main meal. These appetizers may be enough to cause a guest to become full too early. Often a period of dancing or mingling follows hors d'oeuvres to work off some of the food.
  
  

First Official Course

• The entree or soup course is designed to create anticipation of the main event.Alexandra Grablewski/Lifesize/Getty Images
  
  The first official course of the meal is a hot course that may include pasta, soup or stew. Sometimes this course is called an entree, a sort of preview of the main course. This course can also be replaced by a fish course depending on the country of origin of the meal. In general the entree course is approximately half the size of the main course. The entree should create anticipation of the main course, as an appetite-whetting device. The entree is sometimes followed by a palate cleanser, such as sorbet.
  
  

The Main and Second Course

• The main meat dish can have sides of salad and bread.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  The main course is actually the second official course which sounds a bit confusing. This is the meat course, where fish, poultry, red or white meats are combined with a starch designed to provide a satisfying experience. This course is accompanied by or followed by a salad course. The salad is used to lighten the dense quality of the meat.
  
  

Bring on the Sweets

• The dessert course may include sweets or cheeses mixed with sweets.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Cheese, nuts, and fruits are the next course. These are considered a sweet or dessert course. This is considered the signal to the end of the meal. This preliminary sweets course is a prelude to the official dessert. The official dessert is often quite small and intense. The dessert is designed to send a signal to the palate that the meal is finished. Dessert is often served with coffee, a hot beverage or a liqueur. The liqueur is believed to aid in digestion.